Move over steak and chicken. It’s time to grill some veggies! Grilling vegetables is an easy way to add amazing flavor to mother nature’s favorite foods, and a great way to start the new year by eating a healthier, more plant-based diet.
Not quite sold? The grill masters at Synergy Outdoor Living offer tips on how to prepare delicious, scrumptious, grilled vegetables. Let’s get grilling!
Preparing Vegetables for the Grill
To achieve perfect grill marks on veggies, you must properly prep them first. Here’s how:
Before cutting, make sure to clean and dry your veggies! For vegetables with seeds like bell peppers, deseed them and half or quarter them.
Peel onions and quarter them through the root, or slice them into rounds.
For large vegetables like yellow squash, zucchini, and eggplant, cut them lengthwise into steak-like rectangles, or in half.
When grilling mushrooms, whole mushrooms are preferred. Remove the stems and cut them in half, or grill the whole cap. P.S. Never wash your mushrooms, we suggest you brush them gently to remove any dirt!
To grill asparagus, snap off the hard ends, and you are good to go!
Since tomatoes are quite delicate, we recommend purchasing small tomatoes on the vine and keeping them intact so the stems act as a handle for moving blistered tomatoes from the grill.
If you prefer to use smaller vegetables such as cherry tomatoes or zucchini rounds, pierce them through a skewer or use a grill basket.
No grill basket? No problem. Just fold a 24-inch piece of heavy-duty foil in half and crimp up the edges to create a lip. This will create a “basket” and keep food from falling through while they still achieve a smoky flavor.
Preventing Veggie Sticking When Grilling
To prevent sticking, brush the veggies with olive oil after prepping, and make sure your grill is clean! Keep in mind, the more surface area you give your vegetables for grilling, the more flavor (and better grill marks!) you will get. The additional space also makes it easier to move the veggies around the grill.
Need a new grill for the new year? Call the outdoor living experts at Synergy Outdoor Living at 813-322-2137 to schedule a FREE design consultation for an entire outdoor kitchen!
Cook Times for Grilled Vegetables
The cook time is based on the size and shape of each vegetable. If you’re planning to grill a variety of vegetables at once, start with heartier vegetables such as peppers and onions (towards the back of the grill where it is hottest), followed by eggplant, squash, zucchini, and mushrooms. Quick cook the asparagus and throw the tomatoes on last.
To get grill marks, cook without disturbing the veggies for three to four minutes on the first side, then continue to cook for the following:
- Bell peppers and onions: Eight to ten minutes
- Yellow Squash, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms: Seven to eight minutes
- Asparagus, green onions, and tomatoes: Four to six minutes
Every grill is different, so if the vegetables aren’t cooking fast enough or are getting browned too quickly, move them to a different area of the grill. To do so, we recommend using tongs or a thin metal spatula.
Can’t wait to eat those grilled veggies? Cutting them into smaller pieces and using a skewer, grill basket, or foil “basket” will speed up the cooking time.
Interested in adding an outdoor kitchen to your home? At Synergy Outdoor Living, we bring our showroom to you or you can visit our locations in Tampa or Orlando to see options that may fit your dream space.
Serving Grilled Vegetables
We think grilled vegetables are best served with just a sprinkle of sea salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. However, if you’d prefer some additional flavor, they’re also great with an herby dressing, pesto, or chimichurri!
Chopped up leftover grilled vegetables are the perfect addition for pasta salads, a bowl of hummus, grain bowls, or as a topping for grilled pizzas!
Hungry Yet? Learn How To Grill Pizza!
Build Your Outdoor Dream Kitchen!
At Synergy Outdoor Living, we believe that everyone deserves to have a beautiful outdoor living space! Ready to get started?
Call us today at 813-322-2137 or start designing with one of our outdoor kitchen packages! Our design team is ready to help you pick the best grills and accessories for your Tampa, Orlando, or Jacksonville home.
Featured Image: Kamado Joe
